On Thursday 4 October, Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar met European Council President Donald Tusk in Brussels, along with the European Commission's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, and the Brexit coordinator at the European Parliament, Guy Verhofstadt. The 27 EU member states give the British leader two more weeks to make "a maximum of progress", as Tusk stated at the end of his meeting with Varadkar.
Varadkar said he thought the negotiations were clearly entering a critical phase and perhaps the final phase. He added that he hoped an agreement could be reached by the end of November, and stated that Dublin had four objectives in this negotiation – to protect the common travel area (a sort of mini-Schengen on the island of Ireland); to ensure that no physical border emerges; to guarantee Irish citizens' rights are respected (citizens can choose to be both British or Irish and European); and to ensure that there is the closest possible trade relationship with the UK.
Varadkar also said he thought it was time to get back down to work, "I agree". A little earlier, it was Tusk who indeed had asked British Prime Minister Theresa May to get back down to work after the Conservative party conference in the UK, which finished on 3 October.
Tusk spoke about the informal summit in Salzburg, which May said had lacked respect for the UK (see EUROPE 12100). He stated that the EU27 had always treated the UK with respect and asked for respect from London in return. Proof of this respect from the EU27 is the solid offer of a free trade agreement, which he called "Canada +++" and which is still on the negotiation table – a kind of agreement that goes further in the trade relationship, cooperation on internal security and on foreign policy.
Tusk then asked in return that the British leaders not liken the EU to the Soviet Union, as the British foreign minister, Jeremy Hunt, had done on Sunday.
After "my long discussion with my guest, I want to say that the EU is united behind Ireland and the need to protect the peace process", Tusk said. And despite the rejection of the 'backstop' initially proposed by the EU, the EU will not stop seeking a viable solution that preserves both the Good Friday agreement and the integrity of the single market and customs union, Tusk added.
In theory, May is soon due to put forward new proposals for this backstop, although no written document has yet been sent. According to news agency Reuters, however, which mentions a high level source, initial contact would suggest improvements on the British side.
The representatives of the 27 EU member states will meet again on Friday to discuss the future relationship. On 10 October, the Commission could publish a new communication ahead of the summit.
Meanwhile, in a press release from the Brexit steering group published on 4 October, the European Parliament says that now the conference is over, it is imperative, given the very short deadlines, that the negotiations be stepped up in order to finalise the withdrawal agreement, with a legally binding backstop for Ireland that is practical and operational. Without this, the European Parliament would not be in a position to give its consent. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)